AN: I just have to say, you guys are all frelling amazing! 13 reviews in two days for one chapter! I only got 18 overall for missing in action and that was 17 chapters long!
Seriously though, I'm really thankful for everyone who reviewed. If you all keep up this pace, the story could end up having hundreds of reviews. Woo!
Poll results so far: 4 wanted ShikaIno, 5 wanted KakaSaku, and 6 wanted NejiTen.
This chapter therefore is Neji-Ten centric but is Shika POV.
Gomen, Neji may seem OOC but as i've stressed before, i don't watch Naruto so it's all guess work.
Hope you like…
1992 words in this chapter
Unmasked
Chapter 2- Duty
Shikamaru strolled up to the Hyuuga estate with a sigh. Despite all that Tenten had told him in the past about her failing marriage, he had always hoped it wouldn't come to this.
As daunting as the prospect of facing the Hyuuga was to him, the disappointment in Neji overwhelmed any fear he might have. Every time Tenten had come to him, doubting the success of their plan, he had always told her that Neji was probably just taking some time to think things through for himself and that he would come around eventually.
Now Neji had gone too far. This kind of thing could not be sorted by comforting words from a close friend. What Tenten needed was reassurance from Neji himself, that or an escape from the marriage. She was not born Hyuuga. She has emotions and is prepared to show them. Staying in a place like this would kill her eventually, if not strip her of her personality.
As he walked up to the main entrance of the Hyuuga estate, he was greeted by a member of the serving staff.
"Ohayo Shika-sensei" the young man smiled at him. He was one of the academy students he had taught before entering ANBU.
"Ohayo" he greeted glumly
"Do you come seeking Tenten-san?"
"Hai." He lied. "Is she available?"
"Gomen, but no, she is not at the estate at the moment. I can leave a message for her if you wish; she'll get it the moment she returns."
"No Kensuke, is Neji there?"
"Hai Shika-sensei, follow me and I'll ask if he is seeing visitors." He smiled again and began to walk through the estate, Shikamaru following behind.
When they reached a particular dojo Kensuke stopped and faced him "Could you wait here? He will be training inside so I'll check with him and come back for you if he allows your entry."
"Hai" Shikamaru nodded and waited patiently while the teenager slipped inside. This was a plan he came up with the night before, when Ino had called to cancel. He was sure she hadn't told him every thing, but he did know enough to make this seem like a good idea.
As captain, all ANBU in his team were his responsibility, and although Tenten had never let her personal life interfere with her professional conduct, her mental welfare overall was enough of his priority to condone interference where it was obvious she would never do anything.
The plan was to enter as if nothing had happened and as though he knew nothing, so that he could properly judge Neji's behavior for himself. He knew that if Neji thought he was on Tenten's side, he would be less willing to share information.
He slid his hand into his jonin vest pocket, feeling around the edge of his other reason for being there. Their wedding was only decided on Monday, but Ino had already been busy enough to have had all of the invitations printed. He really didn't mind her deciding everything for the wedding, just as long as he didn't have to dress in anything ridiculous, just so long as he was marrying her, it didn't matter to him. His share of invitations for distribution had arrived at the Nara house that morning.
Luckily enough for his plan, the invitation for Neji and Tenten was classed as his side.
A few minutes later, Kensuke came out to greet him, a tired expression on his face. "He'll see you, but be aware; he's not in a friendly mood."
"Arigato Kensuke, I wouldn't expect any different." He smiled weekly and removed his shoes before stepping into the dojo.
As he entered, he noticed that no one else was in sight, probably out of fear. Neji was sat cross-legged in the middle of the room, his eyes closed in a meditation pose, breathing heavily.
"Ohayo Neji" Shikamaru said, standing still.
"Hn" Neji grunted in reply
"Where's Tenten?" he asked plainly
"I would have thought you would know that" Neji cracked an eye open to look at him.
"You've lost her?" Shikamaru smirked effortlessly
"Hn," he closed his eye again, un-amused by his teasing. He continued almost accusingly, "She ran off without a word. I was hoping you might know something, as her team captain. Do you know where she is?"
"Gomen, but no, why did she run off?"
Neji sighed and opened his eyes fully to look up at him. "I don't know. I might have said something, but I wouldn't know where to start."
"Right" Of course you don't…
"Were you just coming to see her?"
"No, I was told to bring this around for you both." He walked closer to pass him a silver-edged envelope.
Neji raised an eyebrow at him as he stood to take it, "Told?"
"Just open it, it explains it all."
He slipped open the envelope and looked briefly at the top of the card as he pulled it out before looking back up at Shikamaru, "A wedding?"
"Keep reading" Shikamaru told him impatiently.
Neji's eyes twitched a little wider, but not by much, at the names he saw as he read further, "You're marrying Yamanaka?"
"Hai," he cringed, awaiting the reaction.
"Are you mad?" Neji walked across the dojo to place the invitation on a short bench, amusement in his voice.
He sighed, "Apparently. You've been there before, any useful tips?"
Neji froze still, not expecting anyone to ask him that question, ever. He didn't look back as he answered "Don't let your parents decide when, where or who."
"Too late"
"That would explain it. Could you give me a hand?"
He eyed him suspiciously, still trying to calm himself from the obvious negative attitude to his fiancé, "With what?"
"I need to train, I can't do it alone." He looked over to one side uncomfortably.
Shikamaru was shocked "You?"
"Hai, it does happen." Neji turned to give him an icy glare.
"You seem more on edge than usual, are you alright Neji?"
"No… I'm not." He sat down on the bench exasperatedly, putting his head in his hands. "My wife has left me, as far as I know for good, and I have no idea where she's gone."
Shikamaru gave him a patronizing smirk "You're concerned about Tenten?"
He looked up spitefully. "I'm concerned about what Hiashi and the other elders will do when they find out."
He fought the urge to roll his eyes "Right, I should have known…"
"After my failure to achieve their aims with her previously, one more slip up with my marriage and all I worked for to get accepted as part of the main family will have been for nothing." He continued.
"Their aims?"
"They wanted me to produce children. That's why they let me marry her in specific. Her aim combined with the Byakugan and the future generations could be very powerful."
The concept made Shikamaru angry. After all of the time he used to spend with Kurenai, helping her to look after Asumu, he knew what an emotional experience having children is for women. The thought of putting Tenten into a position like that for family politics was unbearable for him. "She isn't a factory you know, she does have feelings."
"I know that. I just have no idea how to deal with them." He gave off a sigh that made it seem like he was blaming her for not being a shell of detachment like himself.
"Do you ever actually sit and talk to her?"
"Of course I do, but every time she ends up yelling or storming out, so I stop trying."
"Alright, let me rephrase this… do you ever sit and listen to her?"
"It is unnecessary. So long as she understands what her role is and what is expected of her, there is no need for anything else."
"Do you not ever think that there is more to marriage than duty?"
"There is nothing in my entire life but duty."
Shikamaru felt like giving up, he was getting nowhere, but he kept on, for Tenten's sake. "Can I ask something briefly?"
"Sure, go ahead."
"You said that they let you marry her. What did you mean by that?"
Neji looked up at Shikamaru; surprise in his eyes, then seemed to think about it for a while before answering. "They asked when I was fifteen, seen as there was no one within the family available and I was not a main family member, whether I knew any skilled enough kunoichi that would be acceptable to carry Hyuuga offspring. As far as I was concerned, despite her lack of manners, Tenten was the only kunoichi my age that was worth trying with. Her genetics were suitable."
"So you actually chose her?"
"I suppose. I didn't really know what I was choosing her for at the time. I was too young to understand properly. They only told me a few months before my seventeenth birthday."
"Do you regret it?"
"No. I still think that she was the best Konoha kunoichi in our generation, and training with Hyuuga facilities has truly honed her skills to perfection, as I'm sure you will testify."
"You are talking as if she is a primary school student who learned her third times table faster than everyone else. Does it never occur to you that she is your wife?"
"Of course, since she took our surname, she is part of the Hyuuga clan. She has been my wife for fours years."
He shook his head lightly "No, that wasn't what I meant. Just think back to your wedding. The promises you made together. The kiss you shared. You are supposed to love your partner. The phrase to cherish and to hold is said for a reason. I really can't see how Tenten has stayed faithful to you for so long."
Neji stood up to face him, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"She has said things you know. How you sleep in separate rooms. How you don't spend time alone together. How you haven't kissed since the wedding. She has never been happy. I don't know what you have said to her, but for her to disappear now, when she has always been so loyal, it must have been something bad."
"She never said anything to me."
"That's because you say that listening is unnecessary. We may be able to focus on training and work for so long, but women are different. They need to feel cared for, to know they aren't alone."
"When did you become an expert?"
"I'm not claiming to be. I'm just spouting common sense, seen as you don't seem to have any."
"I have plenty. I didn't want to force her into anything, because I thought she saw this whole marriage as another order to follow. I didn't want her to get hurt. I too see it as a duty, and I have always been trained not to show emotions when on duty. I could never care for her like she needs, because I am already detached the second I think of her as a wife."
"The solution is simple then. You must either give her up, or just forget about her as a wife and approach her the same way you used to, before your marriage. Only this time, you should try to listen to what she has to say."
"There's a major problem with that scenario. She's still missing. I have no idea how to get her back."
"She's not missing. I know how to find her, but you need a common ground. Making her come back here isn't going to help anyone."
"You knew where she was?" Neji fumed.
"No, I told you that. I don't know, but Ino knows exactly where she is. I can find out for you if you just agree to meet her sensibly."
His expression had softened, "Tell her… I don't know…"
"I'll just tell her you'll listen. She trusts me."
AN: maybe some more KakaSaku soon? Or do you all want more NejiTen? I'm short on ShikaIno ideas ATM so… ooh I just had one. Alright, nevermind that, which pairing next? Feedback please.
Stay shiny and show the luff
XX Belizma-chan XX